“These workers are leading the way as the first hospital professionals at Woodstock General Hospital to join a union. OPSEU is proud to have them join our family and we’re looking forward to providing the kind of first class representation that we consistently deliver to health care workers across Ontario.”

I am sure once the other professionals in the hospital see the tremendous advantages to being an OPSEU member that they’ll want to join our family,” Thomas added.

OPSEU has represented hospital professionals across Ontario for close to 50 years.

Sara Labelle, Chair of OPSEU’s Hospital Professionals Division, said this means OPSEU has a wealth of experience and knowledge about what it takes to represent health care professionals.

“We welcome the newest members and look forward to working with them as they negotiate their first contract and fight for more resources for their patients. As OPSEU members they have a strong voice in the workplace, and in the province,” said Labelle.

The new members are paramedical staff, who include social workers and behavioral therapists, as well as recreation therapists. They provide a wide range of services including Child, Youth and Adult Individual and Group Counselling Services, Crisis Response Services and Walk-in Counselling, Behavioral Supports Ontario Team, Day Hospital Program, Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP), Medication Clinic, Eating Disorder Program, and Psychiatry Services.